Chrysanthemum plant

ABSTRACT

A chrysanthemum cultivar known by the cultivar name Cheers and characterized as to uniqueness by the combined characteristics of flat capitulum form; daisy capitulum type; white ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 95 to 105 mm. at maturity; uniform seven week photoperiodic flowering response to short days; long peduncle length, ranging from 175 to 220 mm.; medium plant height when grown as a single stem cut spray; and semi-upright branching pattern.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name Cheers.

Cheers is a product of a planned breeding program which had theobjective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with daisy capitulumtype, white ray floret color, eight week flowering response, and withthe ability to produce commercially acceptable quality in year round cutmum programs. Such traits in combination were not present in previouslyavailable commerical cultivars.

Cheers was originated from a hybridization made in a controlled breedingprogram in Barberton, Ohio in 1975. The female parent was Superstar,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,299. The male parent of Cheers was anunnamed white anemone seedling (#73194015) originated by the presentinventors from a hybridization of Wedgewood, disclosed in U.S. PlantPat. No. 3,598, and Topflight (unpatented; commercially available).Cheers was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated parentage by Walter H. Jessel, Jr. and William E.Duffett on Nov. 12, 1976 in a controlled environment in Barberton, Ohio.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Cheers was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in January,1977 in a controlled environment in Barberton, Ohio by a technicianworking under formulations established and supervised by Walter H.Jessel, Jr. and William E. Duffett. Horticultural examination ofselected units initiated Nov. 7, 1977 has demonstrated that thecombination of characteristics as herein disclosed for Cheers are firmlyfixed and are retained through successive generations of asexualreproduction.

Cheers has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length. Thefollowing observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions which approximatethose generally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Cheers which in combination distinguish thischrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

(1) flat capitulum form,

(2) daisy capitulum type,

(3) white ray floret color,

(4) yellow-green (immature) to yellow (mature) disc floret color,

(5) diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 95 to 105 mm. atmaturity,

(6) uniform seven week photoperiodic flowering response to short days,

(7) long peduncle length, ranging from 175 to 220 mm.,

(8) medium plant height (requiring from one to two long days weeks priorto short days to attain a flowered plant height of 65 to 75 cm. for Maythrough October flowerings), and

(9) semi-upright branching pattern.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventors, themost similar in comparison to Cheers is White Marble (unpatented).Reference is made to attached Chart A which compares certaincharacteristics of Cheers to those same characteristics of White Marble.In general comparison to White Marble, Cheers has larger diameter acrossface of capitulum and shorter flowering response period. The ray floretcolor, capitulum form, capitulum type, plant height and peduncle lengthof Cheers are similar to those same characteristics of White Marble.

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence andfoliage characteristics of Cheers with colors being as nearly true aspossible with illustrations of this type. Sheet 1 is a color photographof Cheers. Sheet 2 is a black and white photograph showing three viewsof the inflorescence of Cheers. Sheet 3 is a black and white photographshowing the foliage of Cheers at three stages of growth.

In the following description, color references are made to the RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S.) Color Chart. The color values weredetermined between 1:30 and 2:00 P.M. on Sept. 25, 1979 under 150foot-candle light intensity at Salinas, Calif.

Classification:

Botanical.--Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., cv Cheers.

Commercial.--Cut daisy spray chrysanthemum.

I. INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum (see sheets 1 and 2 of drawings):

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--95 to 105 mm.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

General tonality (from a distance of three meters).--White, 155-D.

Color (abaxial).--155-D.

Color (adaxial).--155-D.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (abaxial).--Approximately 144-A (immature) to 14-A (mature).

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present disc florets only; scant to numerous; moderatepollen.

Gynoecium.--Present both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Branching pattern.--Semi-upright.

Height.--Medium, 60 to 70 cm. given no long days for May through Octoberflowerings.

B. Foliage (see sheet 3):

Color (abaxial).--Approximately 139-A but more greyed.

Color (adaxial).--Approximately 137-C but more greyed.

Shape.--Moderately lobed and deeply serrated.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        COMPARISON OF CHEERS AND WHITE MARBLE                                         ______________________________________                                                 RAY                                                                           FLORET     CAPITULUM      PLANT                                      CULTIVAR COLOR      FORM AND TYPE  HEIGHT                                     ______________________________________                                        Cheers   White      Flat Daisy     Medium                                     White    White      Flat Daisy     Medium                                     Marble                                                                        ______________________________________                                                 DIAMETER                                                                      ACROSS                                                                        FACE OF      FLOWERING   PEDUNCLE                                    CULTIVAR CAPITULUM    RESPONSE    LENGTH                                      ______________________________________                                        Cheers   95 to 105 mm.                                                                              7 week      Long, 175                                                                     to 220 mm.                                  White    70 to 85 mm. 9 week      Long, 180                                   Marble                            to 250 mm.                                  ______________________________________                                        COMPARISONS MADE OF PLANTS GROWN AS SINGLE                                    STEM CUT SPRAYS IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA                                    

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum morifolium,Ramat., plant known by the cultivar name Cheers and particularlycharacterized as to uniqueness, as herein described and illustrated, bythe combined characteristics of flat capitulum form; daisy capitulumtype; white ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum rangingfrom 95 to 105 mm. at maturity; uniform seven week photoperiodicflowering response to short days; long peduncle length; medium plantheight when grown as a single stem cut spray; and semi-upright branchingpattern.